When you’re building a traditional piece of furniture, it makes sense to keep everything… well, traditional. You wouldn’t put a digital face on a Townsend clock. But a workbench is different. We built our bench in the Roubo style for its features more than the old-timey tradition. So equipping it with a modern vise isn’t sacrilege, it’s a no-brainer. The only question is, what kind of vise is right for your bench? This article covers the ins and outs of vise types, and what you should look for. It also recommends a couple of options.

Millions of people look forward to the day after Thanksgiving for the shopping. But many woodworkers eagerly anticipate something else: Stumpy's annual "Black Friday" blog. Every year readers are taken on a journey through Stumpy's twisted imagination as he recounts a woodworker's shopping experience that may or may not be true... or even believable. It's not really about the shopping, it's about the absurdity of the whole thing. And you can bet he'll have something new this November 27th! In the meantime, why not catch up on any past edition you may have missed (or that you may want to read, and laugh at again!)

Stumpy tells the tale of his great-great-grandaddy who was the only woodworker on the Mayflower.

FLASHBACK: The 3-Layer Clamp Rack

A looooong time ago (a lifetime in internet years) Stumpy was making a very different woodworking show. "Blue Collar Woodworking" was a cult favorite, and we still get emails about it from our longtime devotees. But let's face it, the show was too long and not everybody liked Stumpy's jokes. Today's videos are shorter and more to the point. But one thing hasn't changed. We're still making cool shop projects like the clamp rack that was featured back in episode #5. (Stumpy was so young and handsome back then!) Anywho- take a trip back to the days before HD and see a great project, plus you'll get a little insight into the roots of what we do today!